Card-receptacle.



No. 671,454. Patented Apr. 9, 1901.

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CARD RECEPTAGLE. (Application min 26', 1900.;

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Patented Apr. 9, I90l.

R A SIMDNSUN CARD REGE'PTAGLE. (Application filed No, s7|,454.

Dec. 26, 1900 (No Model.)

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROGER ALLEN SIMONSON, OF BERWYN, ILLINOIS.

CARD-RECEPTACLHE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,454, dated April 9, 190] i 7 Application filed December 26, 1900. Serial No. 41,158. (No model.)

To all whom, it 12:11.7; con/ea n:

Be it known that I, ROGER ALLEN SIMON- sON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berwyn, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Card-Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to card-receptacles, variously known as card-indexes, cardcatalogues, and the like. In certain devices of this class now in use the cards are provided with circumfereutially-inclosed apertures adapted toreceive a rod, which usually extends the entire length of the receptacle.

In such a device when it is desired to supply or withdraw a card it is necessary to partially or completely withdraw the rod from the receptacle, which rod must then be replaced by being threaded or guided through the apertures in the cards. This replacing of the rod is frequently difficult, especially when the receptacle is of considerable length. In

' other devices the cards have apertures provided with narrow slots extending to an edge of the card. In this latter construction it is common to provide two rods, which enter the aperture in the card by means of the slot,

the rods being afterward spread within the aperture, thus preventing the accidental withdrawal of said card. This form of retaining device, however, is open to the objection that the individual rods, being of reduced size, become too flexible and do not remain rigidly in place. In receptacles of considerable length this objection is frequently so serious as to render this form of deviceimpracticable.

One object of my invention is to provide such a construction that a single card may besupplied or removed without. necessitating the withdrawal of the retaining-rod, and at the same time it is my object to obtain a sufficient rigidity in said rod to enable the sameto substantially maintain its position in the; receptacle, so that cards may be readily supplied or withdrawn.

It is also my object to provide means for locking therod in the position occupied when retaining the cards.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which A Figure 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the receptacle, showing a card and the retaining-rod in position therein. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the receptacle, also showing the rod in position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a position of the retaining-rod, drawn to an enlarged scale. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the operation of the rod when the latter is arranged with the hinge thereof below. Figs. 7and Sshow an alternate method of placing the rod with the hinge thereof above. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the controlling devices. Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views illustrating the method of operation of the controlling device.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th roughout the several views.

a represents a receptacle for retaining the cards 19, said receptacle commonly being in the form of a tray or drawer of rectangular configuration, as shown. Said cards I) are provided at a point preferably near their lower edges with the apertures c, said cards being provided with narrow slots 01, connecting said apertures with the edge of the card. The folding rod e (shown in detail in Fig. 4) consists of a pair of leaves ff, hinged together along their edges. The receptacle a is provided with blocks 9 and h, the said block g occupying a position adjacent to the front 'wallj of the receptacle and said blocks forming supports for said rod e. The said leaves ff of the rod 6 are controlled by means of a device which wiil best be understood by referring to Figs. 9, l0, and 11. The leaves ff have rigidly attached thereto the extending arms 70 and in, said arms being pivotallyconnected at their other extremities to the links m and m, respectively. The opposite extremities of said links are pivotally connected to the free extremity of the revoluble arm n. Said arm is fixed upon the inner extremity of the shaft 0' and extends at right angles thereto, as shown in Fig. 9. The shaft 0 is revolubly mounted in the front wallj of the receptacle and extends through the same, said wall being preferably provided with the bearing-plates or escu tcheous p p. Said shaft 0 is operated by means of the handle q. The

parts are so arranged that the handle q occupies a position outsideof the receptacle, while the inner extremities of the shaft 0 and the arm 'n occupy a position adjacent to the inner surface of the front wall j. The extensions k the links m m, and the arm n are so constructed and related that the rotation of the arm causes the opening and folding of the leaves ff of the rod e in the manner best shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The said parts k k and m m, together with the arm n, constitute the linkwork controlling device and are desirably-inclosed within the suitably-recessed block g above mentioned. In the operation of the linkwork when the leaves 70 10 are being folded or closed together there may be a tendency for the forward extremity of the rod e to rise in case of undue friction in the hinged joint of said rod. To prevent such rising, an anchor-pin r is provided, said pin being preferably fixed in the front wallj of the receptacle and extending for a short distance over the hinged axis of the rod 6, thereby retaining said axis in its proper position.

In the operation of the device when a card is to be inserted into the receptacle the controlling device is so operated as to cause the leaves ff to fold together. The card is then passed over the folded rod (2 in such a manner that the said rod enters into the aperture 0 by Way of the slot din said card. The con-- trolling device is then operated to spread the leaves, in which latter position the outer edges of the said leaves are at a distance apart greater than the width of the slot d, and there.- fore retain the cards in position. I prefer to so construct the linkwork that when the arms are spread, as shown in Fig. 10, the arm 'n will be in a substantially upright position and reach a point which may be termed a dead-center, thereby locking the leaves when the latter are spread. Ordinarily the leaves will be in a folded position, as in Fig.

11, only when a card is being removed or insorted. In order that the leaves may ofthemselves remain in a folded position, it is desirable that the parts be so constructed that when the leaves are thus folded the arm n will assume a substantially upright position and practically reach a dead-center, at which time the slight friction of the parts will maintain the relative positions of the members of the linkwork and hold the leaves in a folded position.

It is evident that the rod e may be placed in an inverted position with the hinge above instead of below, this alternative position being shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a receptacle for cards, the combination of a pair of leaves hinged together along the edges thereof and constituting a folding retaining-rod, a tray or like receptacle for containing the cards, said rod being supported in said receptacle,and means for maintaining the relative positions of the leaves of said rod.

2. In a receptacle for cards, the combination of a pair of substantially flat members articulately connected together along their edges and constituting a single folding retainingrod, a card-tray or like receptacle wherein said rod is mounted, and a linkwork controlling device for spreading and folding said rod.

3. In a receptacle for cards, the combination of a pair of substantially fiat members hinged together along the edges thereof and constituting a retaining-rod, a tray or like receptacle for containing the cards, said tray having supports wherein said rod is mounted, links having connections to said fiat members for controlling the same and means for operating said links.

4. In a receptacle for cards, the combination of a pair of substantially flat members hinged together'along the edges thereof and constituting a retaining-rod, a tray or like receptacle for containing the cards, said tray having means for supporting said rod, extensions upon said fiat members, links pivotally connected to said extensions and a revoluble arm pivotally connected at. its extremities to the other ends of said links.

5. In a receptacle for cards, the combination of a pair of substantially flat members hinged together along the longitudinal edges thereof and constituting a retaining-rod, a receptacle for containing the cards, said recep'tacle having bearings for said rod, a linkwork controlling device for spreading and folding said rod, and means for holding the axis of said rod in a substantially fixed position.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a card-receptacle, a retaining-rod mounted therein consisting of two substantially flat members hinged together along the edges thereof, and cards having apertures for receiving said rod and being retained thereby, said apertures having slots or passages leading therefrom whereby access may be had by said rod to, said apertures from the edge of said cards.

ROGER ALLEN SIMONSON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR M. Cox,

HARRY O. L. WHITE. 

